Home Government Relations & Public Policy HENA Online News

Veterans, Presidents Gather at ACE Summit

June 5, 2008

Natasha McKinnon, a student veteran, speaks about her experiences transitioning from soldier to student. She was joined by co-panelists Patrick Campbell (left), legislative director of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and Joshua Webster (right), a student veteran.

Almost 200 attendees gathered today for the opening session of the American Council on Education’s (ACE) “Serving Those Who Serve: Higher Education and America’s Veterans” presidential summit at Georgetown University. 

The two-day event brings together members of Congress, college presidents, federal policy makers and student veterans to address the issues facing student veterans seeking higher education.

In opening the summit, ACE President Molly Corbett Broad urged increased federal support for the tuition costs of veterans, saying that "reinvigorating the G.I. Bill to ensure that it will cover the costs of a college education and be easier for soldiers to access is something we must do—because it is the right thing to do for our veterans, but also because it is the right thing to do for our country."

While the G.I. Bill has received much attention in the press and on Capitol Hill recently, Broad reminded attendees that campuses also have a role in easing the transition from soldier to student. She urged them to seek the perspectives of student veterans attending the seminar and to use that information to examine the efforts currently underway at their institutions.

Broad then introduced Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), lead co-sponsor of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act (S. 22), which modernizes educational benefits for veterans who have served since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Hagel, a Vietnam veteran, said that both the federal government and colleges and universities have a role in helping veterans achieve their dream of attending college.

"Educating veterans is one of the most important issues facing our society," Hagel said. "Veterans don't want things done for them—these are earned benefits and there will be consequences for our nation if we don't roll these benefits forward. Campuses should do more than extend a welcome—they must set a community-wide tone."

Sen. Hagel greets student veterans (from left) Peter S. Kim, Jodi Johnson, Matt Moser, Amariee Collins and Peter Meijer following his address.

In a brief meeting with student veterans after his speech, Hagel thanked them for their service to the nation and urged them to continue their studies.

Following Hagel’s remarks, attendees participated in sessions profiling today’s student veterans and their experiences in moving from the military to college life, as well as highlighting institutional best practices for veterans education.

The summit continues tomorrow and concludes with an address by Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), a World War II veteran.

From day two of Serving Those Who Serve...

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), a World War II veteran, delivers the closing address at the “Serving Those Who Serve” conference.	Sen. Inouye greets student veterans (from left) Derek Blumke, Erika Gallegos, Jodi Johnson and Peter S. Kim following his address.